Furniture-caster



(No Model.)

' G. J. BOWLEY.

FURNITURE (EASTER.

Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. BOWLEY, OF. INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT B. BROWN, FREDERICK G. WITHOFT, AND HARRY SWOPE, OF DAYTON,

OHIO.

FURNl'TURE-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,613, dated February 13, 1894.

Application filed July 31, 1893- Serial No. 481.921. (N model.)-

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. BOWLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture-Casters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in casters for furniture and such other articles as are of a portable nature and are too heavy to be conveniently moved.

The objects of the invention are to provide a caster in which the roller is so constructed and arranged as to move with freedom'in any direction.

The invention belongs to the class employing a spherical roller and the further object of this invention is to construct a casing in parts that may be separated to admit the roller, and in which the parts will be held together after the spherical roller is in place,

by a ring which also serves as the platform or base on which the furniture or article rests. The object further is to provide means for locking the several parts of the casing together without screws, bolts or rivets.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure'l, is a view in side elevation of a caster constructed in accordance with the spirit of my invention. Fig. 2, is alongitudinal section of same on a plane through the center of the caster. Fig. 3 is a detail in plan view of the ring which forms the platform for the furniture to rest on and also holds the parts of the casing together. Fig. 4, is a transverse section of same. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of caster in which friction balls are introduced around the side of the spherical roller to overcome the friction between the roller and the casing. In this view the locking ring is not shown. Fig. 6,

is a plan view of the same modification as shown in Fig. 5, the ball bearings and the spherical roller being shown in dotted lines.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A, represents the spherical roller and B, the casing.

C is the dowel or shank to be inserted into the post of the bed or other part of the furniture.

D are the ball bearings interposed between the spherical roller and the casing to lessen the friction between the roller and casing.

E is the collar or ring which fits over the stem of the casing and forms the platform on which the furniture rests and also holds the two parts of the case together.

The roller A, is loosely seated within the casing B so that the lower portion of the roller projects below the casing and will rest upon the'fioor as shown in the drawings.

The weight to be supported by the casters is transmitted from the case B, through the small ball bearings D to the spherical roller. These ball bearings are a series of three or more balls preferably of hardened steel and are located around the longitudinal center of the casing in a recess formed in the casing for that purpose. The line of curvature of the inner side of this recess for the reception of the balls is concentric with the spherical roller in order that the point of contact of each of the balls with the casing and also with the roller will always be in a straightline drawn from the center of the ball through each of those points. This construction is considered important to prevent the binding of the balls between the roller and the casing as would otherwise happen.

The casing B, will preferably be constructed in two parts or halves B and B both for convenience and cheapness in the manufacture of the casing and also to facilitate the insertion of the spherical roller and the ball bearings, which may be readily placed in position in one of the sections of the casing before the other section or half is fitted on. After the roller A and the ball bearings D, are in place the two parts of the casing will be held together by the ring or collar E. in the following manner: The dowel or shank O which is a continuation of the two parts of the casing B, and is integral with said casing, is slipped through the opening in the ring until the ring rests on the shoulderb at the bottom of the shank. At a distance above the shoulder, equal to thethickness of the ring, or approximately of such thickness, are thelugs c, which are integral with the shank, and corresponding notches (2, opening into the inner circle, are formed to allow of the free passage of the lugs through the ring. The ring will be locked into position so as to hold the two parts of the casing together by turning it half around so as to bring the solid metal of the ring under the lugs. To clamp the parts together more solidly a sloping face F is provided on the upper face of the ring, the lowest part of the face F being next to the notch. A sloping face leading from each notch is provided and the object of this construction is to cause the ring to be wedged between the lugs and the shoulder of the case when the ring is turned to bring the solid metal under the lugs.

The holes 9 through the ring E are to allow the caster to be fastened by tacks or screws to the furniture.

To prevent contact between the spherical roller and the lower edge of the casing the half round groove shown in the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 is formed, and the ball and two part casing B, the lugs c integral with the shank of said casing, the ring E adapted to fit over the shank of the casing and rest on a shoulder formed on said casing, the notches e in the ring to allow the lugs to pass through the ring and the sloping faces F leading from each of the notches, all for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. BOVVLEY.

Vitnesses:

JOSEPH A. MINTURN, BURT MARLEY. 

